Cleaning and aromatizing apparatus for urinal

ABSTRACT

A cleaning and aromatizing apparatus for a urinal is disclosed. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus comprises a main body having a receiving space, a first opening and a second opening, a container containing a cleaning and aromatizing solution therein and disposed in the receiving space of the main body, and a releasing device having a connecting portion to be communicated with the container and a receiving plate for receiving the cleaning and aromatizing solution. Thereby, the water can flow into the apparatus from the first opening of the main body and carry the cleaning and aromatizing solution released on the receiving plate out of the apparatus through the second opening of the main body, so as to clean and aromatize the urinal.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cleaning and aromatizing apparatus,and more particularly to a cleaning and aromatizing apparatus for aurinal. The present invention also relates to a releasing device forreleasing a cleaning and aromatizing solution in a container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The environmental sanitation is highly concerned with people, especiallythe toilet and urinal. With the frequent use of these sanitations, it ismore and more important to keep them clean. The surface of toilet andurinal is not easy to keep hygiene because of long-term touch withexcrements. Moreover, the sanitations get stink once the drains areclogged with excrements. All these make users and sweepers lots ofinconvenience. So far, there are several kinds of detergents or cleaningand deodorization apparatuses which are put into the water tank of thetoilet, such as the solid detergent or the liquid detergent with thereleasing device thereof. While flushing, water with the dissolved orreleased detergent from the water tank will clean and deodorize thetoilet. As to urinals, mothballs or aromatics are usually put on the topof drains at the bottom of the urinal for deodorization. However, withthe use of mothballs and aromatics, the lessened one might drop down andget the drains blocked. Also, these aromatics can only deodorize but notclean the urinal. The dirt from urine can't be removed from the urinalwithout brushing, but it is waste of time and laboring to brush theurinal each time after using. Furthermore, the water tank of the commonurinal is covered in the wall for saving space, only with a flushingsensor outside. Therefore, the detergent or cleaning and deodorizationapparatus for toilet can't be used for this kind of urinal.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to develop anapparatus for cleaning and aromatizing the urinal to deal with the aboveproblems encountered in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning andaromatizing apparatus, particularly the one applied to the urinal toclean and aromatize the urinal.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the cleaning andaromatizing apparatus for a urinal is provided. The apparatus comprisesa main body having a receiving space, a first opening and a secondopening, a container containing a cleaning and aromatizing solutiontherein and disposed in the receiving space of said main body, and areleasing device having a connecting portion to be communicated with thecontainer and a receiving plate for receiving the cleaning andaromatizing solution. Thereby, water flows into the apparatus from thefirst opening of the main body and carries the cleaning and aromatizingsolution released on the receiving plate out of the apparatus throughthe second opening of the main body, so as to clean and aromatize theurinal.

In an embodiment, the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus furthercomprises a water-flow plate extended upward from the first opening ofthe main body, which has check notches on the surface for reducing waterpressure.

In an embodiment, the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus furthercomprises a water-dispersing plate extended downward from the secondopening of the main body. For example, the water-dispersing plate is acambered plate with a wavy lower edge for staying close to the urinaland increasing the water flow area.

In an embodiment, the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus furthercomprises a fixing portion to be fixed on the urinal. For example, thefixing portion is fixed on the urinal by an adhesive material directlyor via a hanging piece. The hanging piece has plural dents for bendingand is engaged with an engaging hole on the fixing portion.

In an embodiment, the water-flowing plate, water-dispersing plate, orthe hanging piece is made of a soft material.

In an embodiment, the container has a concavity with plural ribsthereon.

In an embodiment, the receiving plate of the releasing device is amovable plate for adjusting the releasing quantity of the cleaning andaromatizing solution. The receiving plate further comprises a shallowgroove and a narrow-to-wide passage.

In an embodiment, the releasing device further comprises a support forsecuring the container thereonto.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a releasing devicefor releasing a cleaning and aromatizing solution in a container isprovided. The releasing device comprises a support for securing thecontainer, a connecting portion disposed inside the support and havingan opening to be communicated with the container, a hole located at abottom of the connecting portion, and a receiving plate for receivingthe cleaning and aromatizing solution. Thereby the cleaning andaromatizing solution flows into the releasing device through theconnecting portion and is released to the receiving plate through thehole.

In an embodiment, the receiving plate is a movable plate for adjustingthe releasing quantity of the cleaning and aromatizing solution. Thereceiving plate further comprises a shallow groove and a narrow-to-widepassage.

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will becomemore readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art afterreviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings,in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cleaning and aromatizingapparatus applied to the urinal according to a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the cleaning andaromatizing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the cleaning and aromatizing apparatusaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the detailed structure of thereleasing device of the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according toa preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described more specifically withreference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that thefollowing descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention arepresented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it isnot intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise formdisclosed.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram showing a cleaningand aromatizing apparatus applied to the urinal according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaningand aromatizing apparatus 1 is disposed on the wall of the urinal 2.After the urinal 2 is used by the user, the flushing sensor 3 reacts andwater flushes into the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus 1 and takesout the cleaning and aromatizing solution to clean and deodorize theurinal 2. The structure of this cleaning and aromatizing apparatus 1 isdescribed particularly thereinafter.

Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a schematic diagram showing thestructure of the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, thecleaning and aromatizing apparatus 1 comprises a main body 11, acontainer 12 with the cleaning and aromatizing solution therein, and areleasing device 13. The main body 11 includes a receiving space 111, afirst opening 112 as the water entry, and a second opening 113 as thewater exit. The container 12 is assembled with the releasing device 13and then disposed into the receiving space 111 of the main body 11through the first opening 112 (as shown in FIG. 3).

Please refer to FIG. 2 again. The container 12 contains the liquidsolution having cleaning and aromatizing effects. This solution isreleased from the outlet 121 at the bottom of the container 12 and flowsinto the releasing device 13. The container 12 has a concavity 112 andplural ribs 123 are disposed on the concavity 122 for cushioning anddirecting the water entering the main body 11. Further, when thecleaning and aromatizing solution is exhausted, the container 12 can bedisposed and replaced with a new one.

Please refer to FIG. 3, which is a schematic diagram showing the partialassembling structure of the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus accordingto a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3,for enabling the water to smoothly flow into the main body 11 throughthe first opening 112, the main body 11 comprises a water-flowing plate114 extended upward from the first opening 112 with an angle to leanagainst the wall of the urinal. Besides, there are check notches 1141 onthe surface of the water-flowing plate 114 to reduce the pressure ofwater, and thus, the cleaning and aromatizing solution can be dilutedand mixed well with water instead of being flushed out of the main body11 suddenly and violently. The main body 11 further comprises awater-dispersing plate 115 extended downward from the second opening113. The water-dispersing plate 115 is a cambered plate with a wavylower edge for staying close to the wall of the urinal and increasingthe water flow area.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the water-flowing plate 114 and thewater-dispersing plate 115 are detachably disposed on the main body 11or can be the formed integrally with the main body 11. The water-flowingplate 114 and the water-dispersing plate 115 are preferably made of softmaterials for a better contact with the wall of the urinal.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a schematic diagram showing thedetailed structure of the releasing device of the cleaning andaromatizing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 4, the releasing device 13 comprises asupport 131 and a receiving plate 132 which can be received into thebottom space of the support 131 (as shown in FIG. 2). The shape of thesupport 131 is designed to match the shape of the container 12 for wellsecuring to container 12 thereon. The releasing device 13 also includesa connecting portion 133 to connect tightly with the outlet 121 of thecontainer 12 to avoid the spill of the cleaning and aromatizingsolution. With the connection of the releasing device 13 and thecontainer 12, the cleaning and aromatizing solution flows out of thecontainer 12 to the releasing device 13 through the outlet 121 and theconnecting portion 133 and is released to the receiving plate 132through a hole 134 located at the bottom of the connecting portion 133.

As shown in FIG. 4, to receive the cleaning and aromatizing solutiontherein, the receiving plate 132 comprises barricades 1321 at threesides of the exposed region. While the receiving plate 132 is receivedinto the bottom space of the support 131, a shallow groove 135 is formed(as shown in FIG. 2). When the cleaning and aromatizing solution isreleased from the hole 134, it is kept in the shallow groove 135 due tosurface tension. Therefore, the solution will be released again onlyafter the original one in the receiving plate 132 is carried away withthe water; hence the use of cleaning and aromatizing solution iseconomized.

Please refer to FIG. 4. The receiving plate 132 of the releasing device13 comprises a narrow-to-wide passage 1322 close to the hole 134 andplural sub-passages 1323 branched as a sector from the narrow-to-widepassage 1322 to the edge of the receiving plate 132. Therefore, thecleaning and aromatizing solution can flow smoothly and evenly along thenarrow-to-wide passage 1322 and sub-passages 1323 on the receiving plate132. Besides, the receiving plate 132 of the releasing device 13 isfilled again with the cleaning and aromatizing solution quickly aftereach flush, and thus, even when the urinal is frequently used, it won'tbe cleaned incompletely due to the bad releasing efficiency of thecleaning and aromatizing solution. In addition, the receiving plate 132is movable. The releasing quantity of the cleaning and aromatizingsolution depends on the capacity of the shallow groove 135 of thereceiving plate 132, so a larger quantity of the solution is releasedwhile the receiving plate 132 is pulled out, and vice versa. Moreover,the releasing device 13 is disposable and replaceable if the hole 134 orthe narrow-to-wide passage 1322 and sub-passages 1323 are blocked.

Please refer to FIG. 2 again. The main body 11 of the cleaning andaromatizing apparatus further comprises a fixing portion 116 to be fixedon the urinal. It can be fixed on the urinal via an adhesive material,or as shown in FIG. 2, fixed on the urinal via a hanging piece 117. Thehanging piece 117 has hooks 1171 at the side opposite to the fixingportion 116 to be engaged with corresponding engaging holes 1161 on thefixing portion 116,and the backside of the hanging piece 117 can beprovided with any adhesive material such as water-proof twin adhesive tofix the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus on the urinal. In addition,the hanging piece 117 is preferably made of a soft material and hasplural dents 1172 thereon for bending and making a radian to match thewall of urinal perfectly.

To sum up, a cleaning and aromatizing apparatus is provided in thisinvention. The urinal is cleaned and aromatized with the release of thecleaning and aromatizing solution in this mentioned apparatus. Besides,the solution is smoothly released and well dispersed on the receivingplate of the releasing device within the apparatus. While flushing, thewater flushes into the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus along thewater-flowing plate through the first opening to the main body andcarries out the cleaning and aromatizing solution which is well releasedon the receiving plate through the second opening, and then flows alongthe water-dispersing plate to the urinal. Hence, the purposes forcleaning and aromatizing the urinal in an effective way are achievedwith the cleaning and aromatizing apparatus provided in the presentinvention.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presentlyconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is tobe understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosedembodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similarstructures.

1. A cleaning and aromatizing apparatus for a urinal, comprising: a main body having a receiving space, a first opening and a second opening; a container containing a cleaning and aromatizing solution therein and disposed in said receiving space of said main body; and a releasing device having a connecting portion to be communicated with said container and a receiving plate for receiving said cleaning and aromatizing solution; thereby, water flows into said apparatus from said first opening of said main body and carries said cleaning and aromatizing solution released on said receiving plate out of said apparatus through said second opening of said main body, so as to clean and aromatize said urinal.
 2. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a water-flowing plate extended upward from said first opening of said main body.
 3. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said water-flowing plate has check notches on the surface thereof for reducing water pressure.
 4. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a water-dispersing plate extended downward from said second opening of said main body for increasing water flow area.
 5. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said water-dispersing plate is a cambered plate for staying close to said urinal.
 6. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said water-dispersing device is wavy at the lower edge thereof.
 7. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said main body further comprises a fixing portion to be fixed on said urinal.
 8. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said fixing portion is fixed on said urinal via a hanging piece engaged with an engaging hole on said fixing portion.
 9. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said hanging piece comprises plural dents for bending said hanging piece.
 10. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said hanging piece is fixed on said urinal by an adhesive material.
 11. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said container has a concavity with plural ribs thereon.
 12. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said receiving plate of said releasing device comprises a shallow groove.
 13. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said receiving plate comprises a narrow-to-wide passage.
 14. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said receiving plate of said releasing device is a movable plate for adjusting the releasing quantity of said cleaning and aromatizing solution.
 15. The cleaning and aromatizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said releasing device further comprises a support for securing said container thereonto.
 16. A releasing device for releasing a cleaning and aromatizing solution in a container, comprising: a support for securing said container thereon; a connecting portion disposed inside said support and having an opening to be communicated with said container; a hole located at a bottom of said connecting portion; and a receiving plate for receiving said cleaning and aromatizing solution; thereby said cleaning and aromatizing solution flows into said releasing device through said connecting portion and is released to said receiving plate through said hole.
 17. The releasing device according to claim 16 wherein said receiving plate comprises a shallow groove.
 18. The releasing device according to claim 16 wherein said receiving plate comprises a narrow-to-wide passage.
 19. The releasing device according to claim 16 wherein said receiving plate is a movable plate for adjusting the releasing quantity of said cleaning and aromatizing solution. 